Kayaker killed when rogue jet skier slams into her on Texas lake as cops hunt for the suspect
A teenage kayaker visiting her family for Memorial Day weekend was tragically killed when a rogue jet skier slammed into her on a Texas lake before fleeing the scene.
The Grapevine Fire Department said it responded to an emergency at around 5.20pm Sunday at the Grapevine Lake, where they pulled 18-year-old Ava Moore to shore.
She suffered severe head trauma, and first responders and good Samaritans immediately began life saving measures, Fox 4 reports.
Moore was then transported to Baylor Scott and White Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, video obtained by NBC DFW showed other lake-goers trying to stop several people associated with the suspected jet ski driver from leaving the scene.
Police say the passenger of the jet ski remained at the scene and was interviewed by first responders.
But the driver of the jet ski believed to have hit Moore's kayak fled the scene with a male friend after the crash, WFAA reports.
As they tried to escape, though, the couple allegedly hit another driver and abandoned their vehicle.
Witnesses to the grisly scene added that the two women on the jet ski abandoned the watercraft following the crash.
It remains unclear whether the female suspects rented the personal watercraft - which carries certain legal requirements - or if either was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Texas Game Wardens are now continuing to search for the female jet ski driver, releasing a photo of the brunette wearing a bikini top to the public in hopes that someone may be able to identify her.
At the same time, Grapevine police are investigating the hit-and-run.
In the meantime, Moore's family released a statement through her father.
'We are grieving the loss of our daughter at this time,' it said.
'Our prayers are also with the young ladies involved, along with their families.'
The Moore family also shared a photo of her taken just last week, as she graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado and received her appointment.
She had long dreamed of being in the US Army and was just weeks away from heading to basic training, Fox 4 reports.
'You know, we talked throughout the course of the year that at some point in her career she was going to be a four-star general because she loved it,' said Ke'sha Blanton, Moore's basketball coach at the academy.
'She made those around her better.'
Blanton said she is now left feeling sadness and anger.
'Anger that they left her, anger that they didn't try to help her,' she explained. 'They took a bright, bright star from our lives.'
She added that she had spoken with Moore on FaceTime just the day before the fatal crash and told her, 'Everybody's going to be saluting you.
'And our last words I said, "Kid, I love you." And she said, "I love you too, coach."'
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